Rockdale County was recently awarded $300,000 in grant funds from the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority for energy efficiency projects.

The county was one of 64 communities in Georgia have earned grant funds for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, which is administered by GEFA.

Rockdale was awarded for "energy saving performance contracting on government buildings, incentives to promote use of residential energy efficient products and services, which includes training and education."

EECBG funds totaling $13.3 million were available to small-to-medium sized cities and counties through GEFA as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The state’s largest cities and counties received direct EECBG funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The EECGB funds will help local governments meet the Governor’s Energy Challenge. In April 2008 Governor Sonny Perdue committed Georgia’s state agencies to reduce energy consumption 15 percent and challenged Georgia businesses, local governments and citizens to do the same. Georgia’s population is projected to grow to more than 12 million people by 2030. This growth will significantly impact Georgia’s energy, land and water resources. More information about the Governor’s Energy Challenge is available at www.GovernorsEnergyChallenge.org.

Since the passage of the ARRA in February 2009, GEFA has awarded $185 million in stimulus funds for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.